NGT summons Environment Secy over MoEF's absence from hearings

The National Green Tribunal has taken strong exception to the absence of Environment Ministry during hearings of several cases and summoned Environment Secretary to inform it about steps being taken to ensure its appearance.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar passed the order after Surjit Singh, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), appeared before the tribunal on Friday and informed it that he only deals with administrative affairs of the tribunal and has nothing to with the cases being heard by it.
Expressing "shock" over the "attitude" of the Joint Secretary, who was asked to appear before the bench due to the "persisting issue" of absence of the MoEF from several cases which were being adjourned, the tribunal has directed the Secretary, MoEF, to appear before it on December 2.

"Surjit Singh, Joint Secretary, MoEF, who is present on behalf of the MoEF, submits that he is looking after the administrative affairs of NGT and has nothing to do with the cases, and that it is not his business to deal with the cases.
"However, he has not made any statement on behalf of the MoEF in regard to the steps being taken except that he does not deal with these matters and is not concerned with the same.
"We are surprised and shocked to see the attitude of Surjit Singh, Joint Secretary of the MoEF, who shifts the burden to various wings of MoEF... We are, therefore, left with no alternative but to summon Secretary, MoEF, particularly in view of the statement of the Joint Secretary.

"Let Secretary, MoEF, be present before us on Monday, i.E. December 2, 2013, to enable us to deal with the cases in accordance with law," the bench said.

The NGT noted "since last over a period of one month", no one had appeared on behalf of MoEF in over 14 matters.
The tribunal had on November 28 warned the MoEF to either find a remedy for the "routine and persistent issue" of its absence from cases or face coercive orders.
The NGT had also made it clear that it will call for the Joint Secretary, then Secretary and "still if nothing is done, then we will impose costs that you can't even imagine".

Earlier also, the ministry has faced the NGT's ire, including imposition of Rs 25,000 cost, for its absence from hearings of several cases.